Latch arrangement

ABSTRACT

A latch arrangement for releasably securing a lid to a container wherein the latch arrangement includes: a latch element coupled to one side of the lid; wherein the latch element is moveable between an engaged position wherein the latch is retained against the container by a magnetic force whereby the lid is secured to the container, and a disengaged position wherein the lid is able to be removed from the container.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from Australian Patent Application No.2009904226, filed Sep. 3, 2009, entitled “Latch Arrangement.”

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

All publications and patent applications mentioned in this specificationare herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if eachindividual publication or patent application was specifically andindividually indicated to be incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

A latch arrangement for attaching a lid to a container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Latches are commonly used to secure lids to containers. It is sometimesdesirable to have a latch that provides releasable engagement betweenthe lid and container such that the lid is able to be moved between asecured position, where the lid provides a closure to the container anda released condition whereby the lid is able to be removed to open thecontainer.

In some circumstances either the container and/or lid change shape ordistort due to internal or external loading on the container and/or lid.This can arise in vacuum cleaning devices wherein the container is usedas a housing through which the air is passed. Accordingly, there can beis a high suction force inside the container which causes the walls ofthe container and/or lid to distort.

When the container and/or lid are distorted the latch can becomedecoupled from the lid thereby opening the container. In another aspect,distortion of the container and/or lid can cause high forces on thelatch therefore stressing the latch and components that are attachedthereto.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the invention there is provided, a latch arrangementfor releasably securing a lid to a container wherein the latcharrangement includes: a latch element coupled to one side of the lid;wherein the latch element is moveable between an engaged positionwherein the latch is retained against the container by a magnetic forcewhereby the lid is secured to the container, and a disengaged positionwherein the lid is able to be removed from the container.

In one form, at least one of the latch arrangement and the containerincludes a magnetic element to provide the magnetic force to retain thelatch element against the container.

In one form, the latch element is movable relative to the lid.

In one form, the container includes a first recess for receiving aflange of the latch element.

In one form, the magnetic element provides an attractive force to guidethe flange of the latch into engagement with the recess so as to providea first coupling.

In one form, the latch arrangement further includes a catch on anopposing side of the lid for engaging with a second recess positioned onthe other side of the container.

In one form, when the latch is in the disengaged position the lid ispivotable about the side including the catch.

In one form, the second recess is adapted to receive a flange of thecatch, the flange engaging with the second recess so as to form a secondcoupling.

In one form, the lid is pivotable about the second coupling between anopen and a closed position, whereby in the closed position the lidprovides a covering to the container.

In one form, the latch is composed of a flexible material.

In one form, the flexible material allows the latch to comply withdistortions of the container that arise during use of the container,thereby allowing movement between the lid and the container.

In one form, the flexible material is a Thermoplastic elastomer.

In one form, the latch is coupled to the first side of the lid via ahinge.

In one form, the lid and an opening aperture of the container are ovalshaped, thereby the lid having a preferred orientation connection to thecontainer in either a right handed or left handed orientation.

In one form, the sides of the container each include the first recessand the second recess such that the latch and catch are able to form thefirst and second couplings in either the right handed or left handedorientation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The novel features of the invention are set forth with particularity inthe claims that follow. A better understanding of the features andadvantages of the present invention will be obtained by reference to thefollowing detailed description that sets forth illustrative embodiments,in which the principles of the invention are utilized, and theaccompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a latch arrangement in an engaged positionsecuring a lid to a container;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the container;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the lid;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the lid showing an inlet;

FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of the lid;

FIG. 6 provides two perspective views of a latch element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a latch arrangement 1 forreleasably securing a lid 2 to a container 3. The latch arrangement 1includes a latch element 4 coupled to one side of the lid 5. The latchelement 4 is shown in the engaged position, where the latch element 4 isretained against the container 3 by a magnetic force, thereby securingthe lid 2 to the container 3. The latch element 4 is moveable betweenthe engaged position and the disengaged position (not shown) wherein thelid 3 is able to be removed from the container 3.

The latch element 4 further includes a magnetic element 6 that iscoupled to a corresponding metallic element 7 of the container 3. Themagnetic element 6 and the metallic element 7 provide the magnetic forceto retain the latch element 4 against the side of the container. It maybe appreciated that the magnetic element 6 and metallic element 7 may beformed of ferromagnetic materials so as to provide an attractivemagnetic force between the magnetic element 6 and the metallic element7.

The latch arrangement 1 also includes a catch 10 on an opposing side 11of the lid 2 which secures the opposing side 11 of the lid 2 to closethe container 3. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the latcharrangement 1 is utilised to secure a lid 2 to a container 3 which formspart of a vacuum cleaner assembly 8. The vacuum cleaner assembly 8includes an inlet 12 to direct air from a suction hose assembly 13,through the lid 2 and into the container 3. It is envisaged that thelatch armament 1 may also find use in other applications.

Referring to FIG. 2, both sides of the container include a series ofretaining apertures 19. The retaining apertures 19 include a cut-out 20located above and separated by an upper rib 25 from an upper recess 20.The upper recess 20 being located above and being separated from a lowerrecess 23 by a lower rib 22. The upper recess 21 contains the metallicelement 7 to provide the magnetic force when coupled to the magneticelement 6 of the latch element 4. In this configuration, the retainingapertures 19 are able to receive either the latch element 4 coupled toone side of the lid 5 or the catch 10 on an opposing side of the lid 11.In other words, the lid 2 can be connected to the container 3 in a righthand orientation with the suction hose assembly 13 on the right side, ora left hand orientation with the suction hose assembly 13 on the leftside.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the lid 2 further includes a clear lens 30that extends upwardly from one side of the lid 5 to the opposing side ofthe lid 11, providing clearance for the inlet 12 on the opposing side11. The inlet further includes a clear inlet elbow 31 that provides apassage to covey air that enters horizontally through the inlet 12 andexists vertically downwards through the outlet 32. By including theinlet elbow 31, the air is directed through the lid 2 rather than intothe lid 2 reducing the impedance to air flow caused by the lid 2.Furthermore, as the inlet elbow 31 directs air away from the clear lens30, any entrained material in the air, for example sand, does not impactand scuff the clear lens 30, which can cause the clear lens to becomeunclear and hard to see through.

Additionally, as the lens 30 and the inlet elbow 31 are clear, a user isable to observe whether matter is being conveyed through the inlet elbow31. This can be advantageous to identify blockages in an associated avacuum cleaner assembly. The lid 2 also includes a button 33 thatactuates a releasable retainment means (not shown) into which thesuction hose assembly 13 may be retained. The releasable retainmentmeans (not shown) includes a lug (not shown) that in a retained positionprotrudes into a channel (not shown) skirting the end of hose assembly13 thereby allowing the hose assembly 13 to be rotated through 360degrees. Accordingly, the releasable retainment means (not shown)provides the advantage of a user being able to remove the hose assembly13 from the lid 2 to check for blockages. Furthermore, as the hoseassembly 13 is rotatable there is a generally greater flexibility of thehose assembly 13 and a reduced likelihood that the hose assembly 13 willbecome tangled.

The latch element 4 is coupled to the end 5 of the lid 2 by a hinge 34.The latch element 4 further includes a flange 35 which protrudes intothe lower recess 23 when in the engaged position as shown in FIG. 1. Themagnetic element 6 retains the latch element 4 against the metallicelement 7 of the container (shown in FIG. 2) such that the inner face 36of the flange 35 is positioned immediately adjacent to the lower rib 22.In this configuration, the flange 35 acts to retain the latch element 4against movement in the vertical direction thereby forming a firstcoupling.

The catch 10 is rigidly coupled to the opposing side 11 of the lid 2,and includes a second flange 37 that protrudes into the upper recess 21.The inner face 37 of the flange 38 is located immediately beneath thelower rib 25. In this configuration, the catch is restrained frommovement in the vertical direction, thereby forming a second coupling.

To open the lid 2, the latch 4 on one side of the lid 5 is disengagedfrom the container by pivoting the latch element 4 about the hinge 34away from the side of the container. This disengages the first couplingand the magnetic element 6 and corresponding metallic element 7 suchthat the magnetic force is reduced.

A relatively low force is required for this disengagement and allows thedisengagement to be carried out one handed. This is an attribute of thecombination of magnetic force and the first coupling to retain the latchelement 4, rather than a single retainment means. Once decoupled, theuser is able to raise the one side 5 of the lid 3 upwardly, pivoting thelid 3 about a catch 10 on an opposing side 11 of the lid 3, therebyopening the lid 2 of the container 3.

Conversely, to close the lid, the flange 37 of the catch 10 is insertedto the upper recess 21 to engage with the upper rib 25, forming thesecond coupling. A user is then able to pivot the lid 2 about thissecond coupling until a bottom surface 40 of the lid 3 is seated on atop surface 18 of the container 3 as shown in FIG. 2. To engage thelatch element 4 with side of the container 3 the latch element 4 ispivoted downwardly about pivot 34. As the magnetic element 6 approachesthe metallic element 7 the magnetic force increases drawing the flange35 of latch element 4 into the lower recess 23 which forms the firstcoupling thereby retaining the latch 4 securing the lid 2 to thecontainer 3.

FIG. 5, shows a top view of the clear lens 30 illustrating thevisibility of the inlet elbow 31. This Figure also shows a filter bag 41that may be attached to the outlet 31 when the lid 2 used in a vacuumcleaner application.

FIG. 6, further illustrates the latch element 4. The latch element 4 iscomposed of a flexible Thermoplastic elastomer material allows the latch4 to comply with distortions of the container 3 and/or lid 2 that mayarise during use of the container.

For example, when the lid 2 is used as part of a vacuum cleanerassembly, a suction force within the container changes the shape of thecontainer causes the lid 2 and container 3 to move relatively move whichmay strain the latch element 4 and the catch 10. In particular, as thecontainer 3 is elliptical in shape, the suction force causes increasesthe ellipticity of the cross-section of the container 3, furtherelongating the major axis of the elliptical cross-section. Accordingly,when ellipticity of the container 3 increases, the flexibleThermoplastic elastomer material of the latch element 4 allows the lidpull away from the container and/or provides flexibility to allow theellipticity of the container 3 to increase, as such, an air passageforms between the lid 2 and the container 3. This air passage allowsexternal air into the container 3 additional to the air that may enterthrough inlet 12, this cool external air, provides cooling for anassociated suction motor. Additionally, the air passage creates an airby-pass that becomes active in blockage or overload situations, therebyproviding by-pass air to the motor. Moreover, the elliptical shape oflid 2 and the container 3 provides for better balance for theuser/operator of a vacuum cleaner assembly when worn as a back packstyle vacuum clearer, in particular, when bending over as theprofile/weight of the vacuum cleaner assembly is kept closer to thewearer's body.

The Thermoplastic elastomer material of the latch element 4 allows arelatively weak magnetic force to be used to retain the latch element 4in the retaining aperture 19 as latch element 4 is able flex and extendto accommodate movement between the lid 2 and the container 3.Furthermore, the flexibility of the latch element 4 assists to reduceloading on the hinge 34, flange 35 and corresponding upper rib 22 whicharises due to movement between the lid 2 and the container 3 and alsoeveryday use.

Instead of the latch element 4 being flexible, an alternative may be tomake the magnetic force stronger or reinforce the engagement of thefirst coupling. However, in this configuration, the ease in which thelatch element 4 can be disengaged will be reduced and may also increasethe strain on the latch arrangement 1.

Therefore, the flexible Thermoplastic elastomer material of the latchelement 4 has an advantage of being able to keep the disengagementforces between the latch element 4 and the container low, therebyfacilitating the aforementioned one handed opening of the lid 2 andmaintaining lower strains in latch arrangement 1. The flexibleThermoplastic elastomer material of the latch element 4 also has theadvantage of providing movement between the lid 2 and the container 3thereby allowing the air-passage to form or otherwise adjusting to themovement. Additionally, the flexible Thermoplastic elastomer materialhas a high material strength and durability such that the latch element4 is able to withstand a large number of loading cycles.

The invention has been described by way of non-limiting example only andmany modifications and variations may be made thereto without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention described.

The reference in this specification to any prior publication (orinformation derived from it), or to any matter which is known, is not,and should not be taken as an acknowledgment or admission or any form ofsuggestion that that prior publication (or information derived from it)or known matter forms part of the common general knowledge in the fieldof endeavour to which this specification relates.

1. A latch arrangement for releasably securing a lid to a containerwherein the latch arrangement includes: a latch element coupled to oneside of the lid; wherein the latch element is moveable between anengaged position wherein the latch element is retained against thecontainer by a magnetic force whereby the lid is secured to thecontainer, and a disengaged position wherein the lid is able to beremoved from the container.
 2. The latch arrangement of claim 1, whereinat least one of the latch arrangement and the container includes amagnetic element to provide the magnetic force to retain the latchelement against the container.
 3. The latch arrangement of claim 2,wherein the latch element is movable relative to the lid.
 4. The latcharrangement of claim 2, wherein the container includes a first recessfor receiving a flange of the latch element.
 5. The latch arrangement ofclaim 4, wherein the magnetic element provides an attractive force toguide the flange of the latch element into engagement with the recess soas to provide a first coupling.
 6. The latch arrangement of claim 5,further including a catch on an opposing side of the lid for engagingwith a second recess positioned on the other side of the container. 7.The latch arrangement of claim 6, wherein when the latch element is inthe disengaged position the lid is pivotable about the side includingthe catch.
 8. The latch arrangement of claim 6, the second recess isadapted to receive a flange of the catch, the flange engaging with thesecond recess so as to form a second coupling.
 9. The latch arrangementof claim 8, wherein the lid is pivotable about the second couplingbetween an open and a closed position, whereby in the closed positionthe lid provides a covering to the container.
 10. The latch arrangementof claim 1, wherein the latch element is composed of a flexiblematerial.
 11. The latch arrangement of claim 10, wherein the flexiblematerial allows the latch element to comply with distortions of thecontainer that arise during use of the container, thereby allowingmovement between the lid and the container.
 12. The latch arrangement ofclaim 10, wherein the flexible material is a Thermoplastic elastomer.13. The latch arrangement of claim 10, wherein the latch element iscoupled to the first side of the lid via a hinge.
 14. The latcharrangement of claim 6, wherein the lid and an opening aperture of thecontainer are oval shaped, thereby the lid having a preferredorientation connection to the container in either a right handed or lefthanded orientation.
 15. The latch arrangement of claim 14, wherein thesides of the container each include the first recess and the secondrecess such that the latch element and catch are able to form the firstand second couplings in either the right handed or left handedorientation.
 16. The latch arrangement of claim 15, wherein the lid andthe container are part of a vacuum cleaner assembly.